


When I'm Unable to Sleep

by holdontoyourhulahoops



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, piper is super cute I love them, pre-fem slash, talk of break ups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 08:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1461994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdontoyourhulahoops/pseuds/holdontoyourhulahoops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reyna can't sleep and Piper has a lot on her mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I'm Unable to Sleep

It’s not uncommon for Reyna’s thoughts to keep her up well into the night. Jason once calmly told her she may want to get help for her episodic insomnia after she’d shown up for a third day with bags under her eyes. She’d appreciated the concern, but told him to politely mind his own business. 

Asking for help isn’t something she does often, and definitely not for petty personal reasons.

Sometimes moving around helps. She takes long walks through the forum, leveling the ghosts with a steely gaze, while her mind rapidly works through battle strategies. 

Most of the time though, very little can quiet her mind. Those nights she stays up working through paperwork or poring over ancient texts on battle strategies. If anyone comments on her lack of sleep the next day, she gives them a murderous glare. They shut their mouths if they don’t have a death wish, or their name isn’t Octavian. She’s more than a little thankful he was finally thrown in prison for treason after the war with Gaea. 

Tonight, she sits cross-legged on the porch outside her apartment. Aurem is curled up beside her while Argentum nuzzles his face into her lap, trying to get her attention. She mindlessly brings a hand down to stroke his silver ears. For automaton death dogs, they can both be a little needy, but she can’t say she minds the companionship.

She hums a forgotten song to herself as she reads a new historical novel on Alexander the Great. It’s not that interesting, and she happens to know that several of the passages are not even accurate, but it keeps her entertained enough. She should be tired from a busy day of sitting through meetings, but her mind is crystal clear. 

Her thoughts are interrupted by a high pitched scream from inside her apartment. The noise cuts through the silent night and Reyna tenses. Instantly, both Aurem and Argentum are up, growling in discomfort. She signals them to calm down, and stands, leaving her book on the porch.

She pushes the door open. Piper Mclean lays on carpet in the living room, gasping for air, having apparently fallen off the couch. The blanket she had been using is kicked to far side of the room.

Piper had shown up the previous Friday out of nowhere, asking to stay for a bit. Her excuse for being there is feeble at best, but Reyna doesn’t mind having her around. Since the war with Gaea three years the two girls had formed a friendship of sorts; or at least a mutual respect for each other. Reyna finds she doesn’t mind having someone else around the apartment, even if she doesn’t know why Piper is here, or why she chose to stay with her when she easily could have chosen to stay with Percy and Annabeth or Hazel, whom she knew better.

She gestures to her dogs to stay back as she kneels down beside Piper. The other girl is awake, wide eyes staring at the ceiling. “Alright?” Reyna asks quietly.

Piper frowns. “Sorry, did I wake you?” she murmurs, still trying to control her breathing.

Reyna shakes her head. “I’ve been up. Nightmare?” she asks, knowing the answer. No demigod is a stranger to waking up screaming from some debilitating vision of a monster tearing you or everyone you love in half. Comes with the territory.

Piper nods. “Yeah. You know, Gaea opening her eyes, crushing Jason and Leo into thousands of little pieces. The usual,” she laughs, but she still seems rather shaken.

Reyna hums. “Want tea?” she asks. 

Piper shrugs. “I’m fine. You should go back to sleep.”

“I wasn’t planning on sleeping anyway,” Reyna explains. She stands up and offers the other girl a hand. Piper accepts it with a bit of reluctance and follows her to the kitchen, the pair of automaton dogs trailing behind them.

Piper slumps into a chair at Reyna’s small kitchen table while the other girl starts a kettle. “I know I should have asked you this sooner, but why are you in New Rome?” Reyna begins. “Not that I’m forcing you to talk about it, or that you are unwelcome here. But you’ve been avoiding the others.”

Piper frowns and pretends to be distracted by her fingernails. “Aww… are you worried about me, Rey?”

The praetor’s nose wrinkles at the nickname, but she doesn’t comment on it. “Don’t try to change the topic.”

Piper sighs. “Jason and I broke up.”

Reyna doesn’t reply at first. She reaches for the kettle and carefully pours them both a cup of tea. Aurem sets his head in Piper’s lap while Argentum whimpers for attention. 

“So, do I have to go murder Grace for you?” Reyna asks, lips curling into a smirk. She slides the other girl her mug, and carefully takes a sip of her own.  
Piper snickers. “No, no, it wasn’t like that at all,” she amends quickly. “It- it was mutual and everything, and I’m not even that upset. It’s just…” she cut off, trying to find the words. Reyna waits patiently for her to continue.

“Everyone at camp seems to think we’re married or something. I just needed to get away from that. I guess that’s why I’ve been avoiding the others. I don’t want to deal with them all walking on eggshells around me. Leo told to all of them basically the day it happened,” she grumbles.

Reyna nods in understanding.

Piper frowns. “I still love Jason, even if my feelings have changed since when I was sixteen. I just needed to get away. And I like hanging out with you,” she adds. “I could have gone to see my dad, but…”

Reyna raises a hand to silence her. “It’s fine. I like having you here too.”

Piper smiles at her, then hisses when she tried to take a sip of tea and burns her tongue. Reyna tries not to laugh. The daughter of Aphrodite glares across the table, but there’s no real malice in her eyes.

“It’s weird,” Piper sighs. “I’ve been with Jason for so long. He’ll always be one of my closest friends, and it can’t be helped that we grew apart, but it’s strange to be single. I don’t know what to do with myself,” she admits.

Reyna shakes her head. “You’ll be fine. We all know not to underestimate you.”

Piper groans. “I know that! Everyone tells me. I just… the future… it’s scary.” She buries her face in her hands to hide her vulnerability, but Reyna finds it almost adorable.

“You’re smart. You’ll figure it out.”

“You’re no help!” Piper whines.

“No one can tell you what to do, Piper. Every demigod has to deal with their uncertain future on their own terms. But you’re strong. I’m not worried.”

Piper peeks up at Reyna through her fingers. “You’re embarrassing me…” she hisses.

Reyna snickers, and reaches over to brush the other girl’s hair from her face. “I only speak the truth. My dogs would tell you otherwise.”

The daughter of Aphrodite sighs, but straightens up. “I was thinking about taking classes in New Rome. I wanted to study political science, and maybe go to law school. It might sound like a stupid idea but…”

Reyna grins. “It sounds like a good idea to me. You could probably still send in an application. I’m sure they’d pull a few strings for a hero of the war with Gaea. And I could help you find a place. You’re welcome here for as long as you need.”

Piper hiccups, before launching herself at the other girl and pulling her into a hug. She buries her face in Reyna’s chest and chokes out a sob. “I’m sorry…” she mumbles. “I have no clue why I’m crying… I’m just…” she gasps.

Reyna tries not to stiffen too much. She’s not particularly good with emotions, but she runs a hand through Piper’s hair. “Shh…” she breaths, acting as Hylla used to for her. “It’s fine. You’re fine.”

Piper laughs through her tears. “Thanks, Reyna,” she murmurs. “I guess I’m just tired or emotional or something.” She pulls back, wiping at her red eyes with her wrist. “But school here, that sounds great. Seeing more of Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank, and… you…” She trails off, blushing inexplicably. “It sounds awesome.”

Reyna smiles and pulls Piper up. “We’ll worry about it tomorrow. You should sleep. You can take the bed.”

Piper moves to protest, but Reyna silences her before she can. “It’s fine. I won’t sleep anyway.”

Piper tilts her head to side. “You have to at least try, you were at meetings all day. Share with me then.”  
Perhaps Piper accidentally let a little charm speak slip in, because Reyna doesn’t even try to say no. She narrows her eyes, but lets the brunette drag her into bed. As she had predicted, she never manages to sleep. But it isn’t so bad, Piper’s breathing is soothing and soft, and for once all of her thoughts are positive. 

She wouldn’t mind seeing more of Piper either.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick drabble I wrote up. The fandom needs more Pipeyna.


End file.
